Candidates

Looking for a new position is exciting and challenging. With all the new social media tools, applicant tracking systems and job boards, a job seeker has more ways to search for positions than ever before. But, that means that for each position available, the number of candidates has gone up exponentially. Here are some ways to make sure your resume gets seen:

1. Recruiters who specialize in your industry will have the best information on positions that are currently open and soon to be available. Work with a recruiter to get exposure to the best companies in your industry.

2. Make sure your resume is in Microsoft Word 2003 format. While Microsoft Office 2007 has been out for some time, many systems cannot accept resumes in that format or require an additional step to translate it.

3. In Packaging, Pharmaceuticals, Medical Device, Biologics, IT, Marketing, and Sales, it is vital to explain your experience and background clearly and concisely.

4. Have at least one other person proof read your resume and cover letters/emails. While they may seem insignificant, spelling and grammar mistakes reflect poorly on your attention to detail.

5. Be as specific as possible. It is difficult to know from a resume what type(s) of position is right for you. Be as specific as possible even if that means giving multiple examples.

6. Be available – make sure your resume includes contact information that is current and where you can be reached easily. Cell phones and home email addresses are critical. Be sure your home email address is professional as well. If not, get a new one through Gmail, Yahoo or Hotmail.

7. Line up references NOW. Be sure they know you are looking, they know some key points you want to emphasize and they remember when you worked together. Having references prepped in advance means you are ready at a moment’s notice when the recruiter needs to talk to them.

We specialize in the search and placement of leaders in Packaging, Pharmaceuticals, Medical Device, Biologics, IT, Marketing, and Sales positions. We also conduct retained leadership position searches in other functions and industries. We are skilled in working with qualified individuals as they approach career transitions, and would love to meet and assist you. A great first step is to share with us your current resume. With this, we can keep our eyes open for opportunities that may fit your unique background. Please take a look at the current set of search engagements that our team is currently prioritizing, and if you are interested in learning more, please contact us immediately. Also, please consider others you know who may be qualified and interested in one of these great opportunities.

We devote our practice to providing world-class retained executive search services to its clients. We focus on creating long-term value for our clients and their owners. We pride ourselves in our ability to identify the rare candidates to fit our client’s needs. All of our services are conducted with adherence to the highest ethical and professional standards.

What We Do

We work on behalf of client companies to search for and recruit highly qualified executives. All fees related to the search are client paid. Every search is based on a solid working relationship with our client. This includes developing a thorough understanding of the position specification, organizational structure and company culture, as well as the client’s expectations of the new person in the position. We then search for the best candidates utilizing our extensive network of industry contacts and referral sources and our vast central database of candidates.

Our job at this point is twofold:

To determine whether a person’s qualifications, interests and objectives are aligned with the opportunity; and

To brief the prospective candidate on the position requirements.

Only if we determine that there is candidate interest and that they possess the appropriate qualifications and attributes will we discuss the candidate’s credentials with the client. Once a mutual interest is established between the client and a candidate, we become facilitators of the process.

Our search consultant will brief you thoroughly about the job, client company and the interview process. The consultant will assist in negotiating all aspects of any employment offer and will help to identify and resolve and issues that may arise. Counsel on cost of living and relocation issues can also be provided.

We are not an employment agency, outplacement firm or advisor on career strategies. We counsel only with regard to the opportunities associated with our active search assignments.

Your Career

Most of the people we approach are not actively in the job market. Frequently, they are qualified executives in satisfactory situations interested only in having exceptional career opportunities brought to their attention for serious consideration. If you are going to leverage your career to its maximum potential, you will probably make several appropriate and timely job changes over the course of your working life. In order to do that most effectively, you must have a career strategy and give careful thought to how to achieve your goals. You and your family should define your values with respect to your work and desired quality of life. When we are aware of your qualifications, goals and values, we can approach you with those opportunities that are consistent with them.

In this era of corporate restructuring and downsizing, anyone can lose a good job with little notice. Therefore, it is a good idea to establish an early relationship with us. If you should unexpectedly find yourself in the job market, we will be ahead of the game by already knowing the kinds of opportunities that will be attractive to you

How to Work with Us

Career development is a serious process. If you use an opportunity that our consultant has presented to you simply to “shop” or to try to establish your market value, you are doing yourself a disservice and wasting everyone’s time. There are less risky and more cost-efficient ways to establish your worth. In exploring a career opportunity with your Sanford Rose Associates® Search Consultant, you should keep some important points in mind:

Be honest and share not only your career aspirations and values, but also any obstacles to consideration of an opportunity;

If you have concerns, tell us in a timely manner so that we can deal with them;

Provide a complete description of your work experience;

Promptly provide requested materials;

We know the clients needs and culture, listen and respond to our counseling;

Provide us with solid professional references that know you and your work well; and

Be proactive; a call right after an interview, for instance, is an important part of success in the process.

You may rest assured that we will be sensitive to your personal and professional needs and goals. Confidentiality will be maintained throughout the process. Our ongoing relationships with our clients often provides us ongoing relationships with candidates we place. Therefore, we want to win relationships for life with both our clients and the executives we place with them. The quality and value of our service is what earns those relationships and adds value to our clients and execuitives placed with them.

Interviewing

Candidate Chronicles

Candidate Chronicles: Resume Preparation Do’s and Dont’s
Resumes can do more to hurt you than help. Follow these do’s and don’ts and your resume will stand out in the crowd.

Candidate Chronicles: Make Your First Impression Count – Part I
Congratulations, you have an interview! Now it’s time to put your best foot forward..

Candidate Chronicles: Make Your First Impression Count – Part II
Congratulations, you have an interview! Now it’s time to put your best foot forward..

Candidate Chronicles: Change IS NOT a Dirty Word
Successfully managing change in our careers is a big step – and often a stressful one that involves many emotions.

Candidate Chronicles: Resigning Without Regrets
Leaving a job is one of the most exciting things you can do in your career – and also one of the most terrifying. What should you expect when you tender your resignation?

Candidate Chronicles: The Dangerous Allure of Counter-Offers
Today, changing jobs has become a necessity if individuals expect to advance their careers. Counter-offers can be very flattering. Before you fall victim to accepting one , here are a few things to think about:

Candidate Chronicles: Following Up After an Interview
After interviewing for what could be your dream job, you are excited about the position and interested in pursuing the opportunity. Your next step is to follow up – a step that can be just as important as the actual interview.

Candidate Chronicles: When Opportunity Knocks, Is It Knocking for You?
Maybe you were thinking about a job change when the recruiter called – and maybe not. In any event, opportunity seems to have knocked.